Melting
by The Only Mrs Malfoy
Summary: He was slowly losing it... and she was all alone. She wanted to go find him... He wanted to go home...


**Melting **

**Summary:**

As Kairi waits, alone and depressed, on Destiny Islands, she thinks more and more about her spiky-haired savior. Meanwhile, Sora is in a different world, waiting patiently for some sign of escape. What's on both of their minds while they wait?

**Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. **

**A/N: Just another little one-shot/songfic using the song "I Caught Fire (In Your Eyes)" by The Used. Also, do any of you have any idea what pair I should write about next? I'm only doing one-shots (for now), but I'm up for suggestions. Anyways, enjoy the fic!**

The scorching afternoon sun beat down on Kairi's back relentlessly, but the redhead paid no attention to the burning heat. She sat on the warm white sands of a random beach on Destiny Islands with her knees drawn up to her chest, and the gentle tides tickling her bare feet. Staring out at the calm azure waters, she desperately longed to see anything out of the ordinary happen. She wouldn't even mind seeing a Heartless right now; anything to break the monotonous ritual she followed everyday.

Kairi would wake early every morning, right when the sun was barely beginning to light the sky, and when the summer air was still cool and refreshing. She'd race to the shore that she'd spent many years running across and check for anything unfamiliar, any signs of a visitor, should it be simple footprints or a single rock out of place. She'd been watching the beach for so long that she nearly had every little piece of debris memorized; she'd know if something was out of place.

After watching the early morning shore for several hours, she'd return home mournfully and munch on a meager breakfast. Not even her mother's scrumptious meals could cheer her up anymore. Then she'd waste her afternoon away by watching the never-changing ocean for several more hours. After a hasty lunch, she'd run back to her permanent spot on the beach. Her remaining friends could hardly convince her to participate in their often childish games.

"Kairi, instead of staring at the water all day, why don't you come in and join us?" her friend Selphie often queried, sending splashes of water toward the depressed redhead. The look Kairi gave her was enough to silence the perky brunette. Selphie frowned; usually, Kairi was the one filled with eagerness and jubilation. This new moody attitude of hers wasn't fitting. Not even Tidus and Wakka's goofy personalities could get a reaction out of her.

"Hey Kairi! Heads up!" Tidus yelled as a blitzball soared from his hand toward her head. The ball reached its target, but the target acted as if nothing had happened. This dampened the spirits of the upbeat blond; his specialty was making people laugh with his immaturity, but it didn't seem to be working.

Even the brotherly Wakka couldn't get Kairi to lighten up. He'd given her bear-like hugs, brought her every kind of tropical fruit available on Destiny Islands, and even offered to beat up Tidus with his own blitzball. She politely declined every offer.

Kairi's three friends, though astounded by her behavior, knew the reasoning behind it. Each time they spotted her staring wistfully at the sea, they knew she was waiting for something. Someone.

She didn't know how much longer she'd be able to take it. Kairi was growing weary of her tedious method. Her longing for seeing her two best friends again was increasing by the day. If she didn't see them soon, she knew she'd lose it. At the very thought of this, memory upon memory crashed upon her in a tidal wave of emotions.

She quickly recalled the calm, confident demeanor of her best friend Riku. She remembered his feathery silver locks, and how she'd often tease him saying "You've got hair fit for a girl!". She remembered the look of horror that dawned his face when he learned of Kairi's misfortune, and she most distinctly recalled the fury that clouded his aquamarine eyes when Sora informed him of her stolen heart. She merely hoped that her silver-haired buddy was able to escape the Darkness, and anxiously awaited his return.

As much as she loved Riku, he wasn't the one that plagued her mind day and night, never wanting to give her peace. His silky hair wasn't the hair she saw every minute of every day. His mysterious aqua eyes weren't the ones that made her want to rip her hair out with longing. The boy that haunted her waking and sleeping hours was one with spiky, unruly brown hair and eyes that mirrored the cobalt ocean before her. The face she so wanted to see belonged to none other than Sora, her first and foremost best friend.

She had no idea when she'd developed this insatiable yearning for Sora, but she knew it was there. Every day she didn't see him, she felt her heart crumble slightly. Every minute she didn't have him in her arms, she felt cold and lonely, despite the near unbearable heat. Her need for him was becoming so great that she often cried herself to sleep, knowing that he probably wouldn't be there the next day. Kairi knew she loved Sora as more than a friend ever since her pre-adolescence stages, but always feared his reaction to her secret. That's why she chose to remain silent all these years, enduring the torture of always being Sora's best friend and never his lover.

This day was just like any other; no Riku and especially no Sora. Still, she'd wait. She'd wait for eternity if she had to, just to have her best friend and her greatest love back. As she sat quite alone on the beach waiting (Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka had long since given up hope for her), she let herself be whisked away into the photo album in her mind, reminiscing about all the happy memories that she and Sora shared. She vaguely recalled a time when she was twelve. Her and Sora were relaxing on this very shore one evening…

_Sora was lying comfortably on the pure white sand of Destiny Islands, with both of his hands beneath his head. Kairi was sitting in a cross-legged position beside him, making another one of her fabled shell necklaces. _

"_Sora, do you want a necklace?" she asked eagerly, holding up the result of her hardship. Sora gave it a quick glance and grinned. _

"_Another one? C'mon, Kai! I'm running out of places to keep them!" he joked, and laughed at her appalled expression. His laughter was cut short when a spray of sand hit him, causing him to sputter. _

"_Hmph! Running out of places!" the auburn-haired girl mumbled, not even giving Sora a second glance as he tried to rid his throat of the sand. She briskly scooped up her shells and thread and walked away, feeling slightly uneasy about leaving her friend to choke. Still, she brushed the uneasiness away and continued walking. _

_That is, until a certain best friend caught up with her and - gently - tackled her down to the soft, sandy ground. _

"_Sora!" Kairi screamed from underneath his lanky build. He shifted some of his weight off of her and couldn't control his laughter. _

"_I see you got the sand out." she told him icily, still trying in vain to get him off of her. _

"_I see you're having trouble." the hint of laughter never left his voice. Kairi sighed in defeat and succumbed to the faint warmth that the sand beneath her provided… and also the warmth of Sora's head lying on her chest. Her anger slowly ebbed away as the minutes wore on. His spiky brown hair tickled her chin, but she felt comfortable all the same, knowing that this memory would be stored in her mind for eons to come. She used her elbows to propel herself up slightly, and gasped softly at the resting form of Sora. _

_His eyes were closed, and his expression was at total ease, like he had nothing in the world to worry about. The way his chest rose and fell rhythmically was calming to Kairi. He looked nothing short of adorable; sleeping like a baby on top of her. She never realized how soft and innocent his features were, and felt the urge to kiss him on the cheek. Feeling her heart jerk suddenly, Kairi quickly pressed her lips against Sora's cheek and prayed that he didn't notice. The little motion sent her heart fluttering to unknown heights. Letting sleepiness overtake her, Kairi laid back down on the sand and unintentionally put her arm around Sora's neck, as if making sure he wouldn't go away. Unbeknownst to her, Sora smiled contentedly. He turned slightly to gaze into his friend's sleeping face and felt his smile widen. He lowered the back of his head on her chest once more, and fell asleep listening to the soothing heartbeat of his best friend, and the girl he would come to love in a few years' time._

_**Seemed to stop my breath,  
My head on your chest.  
Waiting to cave in.  
From the bottom of my... **_

**_Hear your voice again.  
Could we dim the sun  
And wonder where we've been?  
Maybe you and me… _**

Tears sprung into Kairi's indigo eyes at full force; they never seemed to stop nowadays. The memory was so sweet and pure, yet it aroused her. The fact that she'd spent most of her life being in close proximity with Sora only to have him leave her for two years was unbearable. Meanwhile, many worlds away, a spiky-haired brunette was thinking something along the same lines.

-----

Sora stared in awe at the letter in his hands. The poem Kairi had written to him touched him deeper than anything else ever had. As he read the poem aloud for Riku to hear, he couldn't help but imagine her sweet voice reading along with him. Her words were obviously chosen carefully, like colors chosen precisely to make a perfect painting.

"Wow… I… I don't know what to say…" Sora stammered, staring dumbfounded at the parchment. There were too many emotions whizzing around his heart at that moment.

"You don't have to say anything, Sora." Riku answered, always the level-headed one in most situations. "She… she really misses you."

Sora shot a glance at Riku and didn't miss his sorrowful gaze.

"She misses the both of us." he told his silver-haired buddy reassuringly.

"Well of course she misses us both, but I get the nagging suspicion that she misses you more." Riku answered, speaking to the dark, gloomy sky above him.

"Why would you think that?"

"For one thing, you two are closer."

"But we… you… whatever. I still think she misses us just the same." Sora replied stubbornly, and resumed his seat on the distorted tree branch. At this, Riku let out a soft chuckle.

"All right. She might miss us both, but she…" he paused in mid-sentence, wondering if he should tell Sora his opinion on their relationship.

"She what?"

"Never mind." Riku smiled to himself. He could read Sora's emotions like an open book; everything the brunette felt was reflected in his eyes. And he was extremely aware of the emotion that clouded Sora's eyes when he thought of Kairi. It was nothing short of pure admiration.

Sora grew puzzled at Riku's mysterious behavior and decided to let his friend's words go. Surely Kairi felt the same about both boys! It was preposterous to think she'd like one of them more than the other. Sora wished he could say the same…

He'd known Riku ever since the two were barely-walking babies, but he'd felt nothing more than a brotherly love for him. But a whole new feeling rose when he thought of Kairi, especially now that he was a teenager. During their preteen days, the three friends were nothing more than platonic toward each other, but lately, Sora had been thinking less and less about Kairi's cheerful smile and more and more about her alluringly soft lips, and the way her often short dresses clung to her every-

"Hey Riku!" he said, trying to distract himself from the erotic thoughts that popped into his mind.

"Yeah?" said the other, not looking at his friend.

"Uh … do you think we're ever gonna get out of here?" Sora asked, not caring what the reply was. Just so long as Riku didn't notice him blushing. The provocative thoughts still wouldn't go away.

"Why? Do you want to be reunited with Kairi again?"

Sora, if possible, blushed an even darker shade of red. Giving his friend a shove, he jumped off the tree branch and slid down its trunk morosely, landing hopelessly on the ground. He ran a hand through the mass of unruly hair atop his head.

_What if I **can****'t** get back to Kairi?_

He brushed the thought away. They couldn't be stranded in the realm of darkness forever! They were good people, heroes even! Someone would come and rescue them, he was sure of it. But still, the nagging feeling of doubt wouldn't stop plaguing Sora's mind. He decided to think about Kairi, wanting to keep memories of his one true love close. His mind fleeted over the time Kairi discovered the joys of sea salt ice-cream…

"_Uh, Sora? Why is your ice-cream blue?" Kairi asked hesitantly, eyeing the blue chunk of melting dessert in her friend's hand. _

"_I dunno. But it tastes great! Wanna try some?" Sora answered naively, brandishing the ice-cream in Kairi's face and sending flecks of blue everywhere. She shook her head slowly and muttered a 'No thanks.' _

"_Why not? It's so yummy! It's called sea salt ice-cream!" the brunette pressed on, determined to get Kairi to taste the foreign dessert. _

"_I don't eat things if I don't know what it is. I'm not a human garbage disposal like you or Riku." she replied haughtily. _

"_Aw c'mon Kai! Just one bite! And I'm telling Riku about the garbage thing!" _

"_Go ahead. It won't get me to eat that." _

"_But it's filled with sugary goodness! What do you have against blue stuff?" _

"_Ugh, Sora, you can be so annoying sometimes! Fine. I'll try a bite." At this, Sora's eyes lit up with a special twinkle and he gratefully handed the ice-cream to Kairi. She eyed it warily and cautiously took a bite. The blue substance seemed to fizz pleasantly on her tongue, and the sugary flavor was enticing her taste buds. She'd honestly never had such a delectable treat! _

"_Wow! This **is **good!" she admitted, causing Sora to smile. _

"_What did I tell ya?" he replied, holding out his hand and expecting his ice-cream back. Kairi's eyes darted toward his hand and then back to the ice-cream, and finally toward his face. A grin slowly spread on her face, and before Sora could realize what happened, Kairi sped off in the opposite direction, giggling like she usually did, and escaping with the sea salt ice-cream in hand. _

"_Hey! Give that back!" he yelled, chasing after her. She only ran faster, occasionally glancing back at him. Despite her speed, Sora caught up to her and, once again, he gently tackled her to the ground. _

"_Aw! Good job Sora! Now neither of us can have the ice-cream!" Kairi whined, pointing to the now sand-covered frozen treat. _

"_I think you might be mistaken." Sora looked down at her, watching as her indigo eyes sparkled with confusion. _

"_Don't tell me you're actually gonna eat that? It's covered in sand!" _

"_No, I'm not gonna eat **that**." _

_Not knowing what kind of supernatural force was controlling his mind, Sora swooped and gave Kairi a gentle kiss, licking the small dot of sea salt ice-cream that clung to her lip. _

"_Mmm! That drop tasted the best!" he said, chuckling to himself as Kairi's emotions changed from shock, to wonder, and then to anger. _

"_Sora! You pervert! Get off me!" she gave him an almighty shove and stood up, brushing sand off her skirt. "How could you take advantage of me like that?" _

"_Advantage? I-I'm sorry. Kai. It was just too hard to resist…" with that statement, he did the unthinkable. _

"_Sor-Sora! Don't do it, mister! I will not fall for it! Sora!" she spoke to him in a warning tone, but Sora had already unleashed his fabled 'puppy-dog face'. It was the face where is eyes grew wide, round, and wet, and his bottom lip pouted like a small child's. It was considered one of his strongest weapons. At this, the redhead couldn't help but sigh. _

"_Alright Sora. I forgive you." she said wearily, and took the hand of her devious best friend. "Let's go buy two more ice-creams. My treat." _

_The two walked hand-in-hand, Sora chattering happily and Kairi still lingering on her first kiss, though she kept silent about it. She didn't want to make it seem like a big deal. Sora seemed oblivious to the thoughts rebounding back in forth in his friend's head. Kairi couldn't help but glance at him and smile. Her first kiss had been perfect, she decided, but he would never know how good it made her feel._

_**So kiss me like you did.  
My heart stopped beating.  
Such a softer sin. **_

Though Sora didn't know about Kairi's feelings on that kiss, he was glad that he hadn't disgusted her. Ironically, it had been his first kiss as well. He was alarmed by his actions, but decided to brush it aside and ignore it; he didn't want to make a big deal out of it. Needless to say, when Sora got home that night, he'd celebrated like there was no tomorrow. Unknown to him, a certain redhead light years away was dwelling on the same memory.

-----

The tears were pouring out of her eyes like waterfalls now. The memory of her first kiss had been so sweet and innocent; depend on Sora to make something as romantic as a kiss seem untainted and playful! Kairi wiped the tears fiercely from her eyes and succumbed to the warm feeling spreading through her body; the warm feeling that only Sora could bring.

"Why do I have to love you so much?" she mumbled to no one in particular. It was a little past afternoon now, and the sun wasn't as harsh. Kairi was about to head back to her house for a snack when she tripped over a distinct object jutting out from the sand. Fighting down the need to yell out obscenities, she dug the object out of the sand and let it rest in her palm. It was a simple rock; grayish-white and chalky in texture. The ersatz chalk jogged something in her memory, and instantaneously, Kairi started running with the chalk in hand.

Her house was a blur when she passed it, as were the palm trees that got in her way. After passing many small cliffs, sand dunes, shore lines, and massive trees, she put her hands on her knees and bent over, trying to catch her breath. Then she looked up and spotted a small opening hidden by palm tree leaves. Moving the leaves aside, Kairi timidly entered the gloomy cave, running her hands along the craggy walls. Her hands came in contact with dusty remains; the same chalky material as the rock she was holding. She moved slightly so that the sunlight from outside could stream into the cave. Once there was light, she gave her attention to the now illuminated chalk drawing. It was a stick figure with long hair, probably depicting Riku.

_Sora was never on the artistic side…_

Kairi couldn't help but giggle as she gazed around at all the crude drawings she had made on the cave walls along with Sora. She dwelled deeper into the cave until a certain drawing caught her eye. Kneeling in front of the wall, she stared fondly at the caricature of both her face and Sora's looking at each other.

But a blurry shape beneath that sent Kairi's heart swirling frantically. A much more recent addition was visible on the gray cave wall. Someone had drawn an arm attached to Sora's body, and in the hand of the arm was a star shape being offered to the drawing of Kairi. She had no doubt in her mind what the star shape was, and she also had no doubt in her mind about who drew it.

The tears that sprung into her eyes this time were summoned by happiness. A warmth like no other was coursing through her blood. A fluffy, light-hearted, and simply _sweet_ feeling was running all throughout her body. Her heart was plainly melting with jubilation, and her faith was renewed. She hoped that this drawing meant what she thought it meant…

Kairi sat in the cave until the evening sky had fallen. The sun was slowly disappearing beneath the ocean, but she took no notice. She simply sat with her knees drawn for hours, staring fondly at the drawing. It had been the most wonderful thing she'd seen in two years.

**_(I'm melting, I'm melting)  
In your eyes,  
I lost my place  
Could stay a while… _**

_He will come back to me. I just know it…_

-----

_I wonder if Kairi found that drawing we made when we were little…_

Sora heaved a sigh and considered the possibility of confessing his feelings to Kairi once he got back home.

_If I get back home._

He didn't want to seem weak in front of the cool, confident Riku, but the realm of darkness seemed like it was closing in on him. The sky was always a gloomy shade of gray. There was no sign of a living creature, and no noises to distract the boys. Sora and Riku tried to talk as much as possible to pass the time, but their conversations always died at some point. Whenever Sora felt completely hopeless, he thought back to the poem Kairi had written.

_Thinking of you, wherever you are..._

Did she really mean that? Had she really gone to the trouble of thinking up such a beautiful poem with the hopes that it would reach him? _Sora_ hoped so. She was the only reason he was still sane. Just imagining her in his arms gave him a reason to live, a reason to keep hoping.

Everything about her was perfect. Even her flaws. Sora thought she was stunning, even when she had makeup smeared all over her face, or when her hair would stick up in all directions. No matter what, she looked like an angel to him. He especially liked to make Kairi angry. That blazing fury in her eyes was so enticing; power seemed to emanate from her small form whenever she was heated. Her indigo eyes simply… _burned_.

_**(And I'm melting)  
In your eyes,  
Like my first time,  
That I caught fire.  
Just stay with me, lay with me now.**_

He sighed again. Thinking of Kairi was the only outlet he possessed. A few days ago, Sora amused himself by chopping up the already dead trees around him with his Keyblade, but now, the only thing that made him crack a smile… was Kairi's smile.

Why was this happening to him? And why now, of all times? Sora had gone past a point where he'd be nothing without the memory of Kairi to help him through. What would he do if he couldn't get back? What if he kept her waiting and waiting until the poor girl's heart broke from anxiety? What if she'd lost her faith in him?

The truth was, Sora had little faith in himself. The darkness that surrounded him in a thick fog was eating away at him, destroying him from the inside out. It drained him of the little willpower he had left. He wanted so badly to believe that he would be able to keep his promise to Kairi… the promise that he'd return… but he had to face the music. It had been days, and no one was coming.

And then, as usual, Kairi popped into his head.

"_I'll come back for you! I promise!" he'd shouted as the worlds separated from one another, putting more strain on the locked hands of Sora and Kairi. _

_The look she gave him was unforgettable. It was almost a smile, and her eyes were filled with so much hope, so much certainty, that he had no doubts about his promise. _

"_I know you will…" And then they were separated; her standing forlornly on the shore of a newly formed Destiny Islands, him standing possibly light years away on some other land…_

He gripped his hair in frustration, attempting to pull it out.

"Nothing's fair anymore! Nothing right ever happens for me!" he shouted to no one in particular. The emptiness of the realm had finally gotten to him. He drew out his Keyblade and stared at it with seething hatred.

"If it weren't for this damned thing, I'd be with Kai right now!" he shouted angrily. He'd lost all train of thought. Only one thought filled his mind. _End this monotonous torture now__…_

He raised the Blade above his heart and was ready to pierce his own flesh when another body tackled sharply into his. The Keyblade was ripped from Sora's grasp and tossed carelessly into the dirt.

"Sora, are you crazy?" Riku shouted, eyes wide with amazement.

"YES! I AM crazy! This whole goddamn place is crazy! I just wanna get out Riku! Just let me go!" angry tears formed in his cobalt eyes, and his voice ached from screaming so loudly. Lifting himself up, he made to dash past Riku and retrieve the weapon to finish what he'd started, but the older teen was too swift. He caught Sora's arms and tried to hold him back, but, when fueled by rage (and maybe a slight bit of insanity), Sora was near unstoppable.

"Sora! Just… listen… to me!" Riku choked out the words, digging his feet into the earth in order to prevent the brunette from reaching his destination.

"I'm sick of this! I'm done! No more Keyblade-wielder!" he thrashed wildly.

"But… what about… Kairi?"

And suddenly he stopped. Sora donned a thoughtful expression, questioning his wild behavior in his mind. Of course there was Kairi. There was _always_ Kairi. He knew she would never give up on him, and was ashamed that he'd almost given up on himself. With a renewed vigor, he broke free from Riku's grasp, put away the Keyblade, and started walking in a random direction.

"Where… are you going?" the silver-haired teen panted, trying to keep up with Sora's unusually hasty strides.

"We're gonna find a way out of here, and quick. Kai's waiting for me."

_**Never caught my breath.  
Every second I'm without you I'm a mess.  
(Ever know each other)  
Trust these words are stones.  
Why cuts aren't healing.  
Learning how to love,  
I'm melting...**_

-----

_Kairi gasped as a teenage boy tackled her into the water. Her short pink sundress clung to her every curve, and her hair stuck to her neck in wet red tendrils. She tried halfheartedly to pry his hands off of her waist, but part of her didn't want Sora to let go. She settled for a small giggle and turned around in his arms to face him. _

"_What are you doing, Sora?" she said between laughs, not noticing the mysterious emotion clouding her friend's oceanic eyes. "This is like, bordering crazy! The last time you pushed me into the water, it was because I stole another one of your sea salt ice-creams." _

"_It was a big sea salt ice-cream, too." Sora said mischievously; his tone had a deeper ring to it.; like he was trying to tell Kairi something other than his accusation of theft. She tilted her head and shot him a confused glance, but that confusion instantly turned into surprise when she found soft lips eagerly caressing her own. She was starting to succumb to the kiss when she realized what was happening and quickly pulled away. _

"_Sora… what are you doing?" she asked dazedly, trying to fight down the blush creeping up her cheeks. "I thought you only liked me as a friend…" _

"_So did I." he replied seriously. Then a smirk donned his unusually roguish features. "I was wrong." _

_Before Kairi could protest, his lips were battling her own for entrance into her mouth, and she hastily granted him access…_

**_(I'm melting, I'm melting)  
In your eyes,  
I lost my place  
Could stay a while…  
(And I'm melting)  
In your eyes,  
Like my first time,  
That I caught fire.  
Just stay with me, lay with me now._**

_Sora expertly left blazing hot kisses on Kairi's face, neck, and shoulders, and his hand was beginning to creep up her shirt. She tried to fight down the moans threatening to erupt from her throat. Who knew Sora could do this to a girl? Who knew Sora actually liked her this way? It was all too weird and sudden for the sixteen-year-old girl to comprehend, but she had no problem with it. He was the object of her (secret) affection, after all. If he was suddenly in the mood to ravish his friend in the middle of the ocean for all to see, then so be it. Kairi smiled as his warm fingers trailed along her stomach. She gazed lovingly up into Sora's deep enigmatic eyes, and found herself falling into them, wanting to drown herself in those mystic blue pools clouded with admiration. This moment was like a dream-come-true…_

_**You could stay and watch me fall,  
**__**And of course I'll ask for help.  
(Just stay with me now.)  
We could take our heads off, stay in bed,  
Just make love that's all.  
(Just stay with me now.)**_

_And make love, they did…_

Kairi gasped as she opened her eyes, and was slightly embarrassed to find a funny tingliing sensation somewhere under her navel.

_What a dream…_

Ever since the night she'd found that drawing, she'd been have very… _naughty_ dreams involving herself and her 'secret object of affection'. The possibility that Sora reciprocated her feelings always left a pleasant buzz in her mind whenever she thought about it. Kairi knew that her faith in Sora's promise was slowly diminishing, but that drawing was like an electric shock of energy and passion for her. No matter what obstacles he had to face, no matter what perils were thrown at him, she knew Sora would fight to the death, just to get back to her. That's what true friends did, right?

_True friends… or true lovers?_, she couldn't help but think. Even if Sora didn't like her the way she liked him, she knew it was blessing enough just to be in his presence again. Just the sight of him would intoxicate the sixteen-year-old nowadays. Hoping beyond hope that her assumptions of Sora liking her were correct, Kairi pulled her pillow over her head and tried to replay the dream over and over again in her head… and in slow motion, too.

-----

To say Sora's search for an escape route in the realm of darkness was uneventful would be an understatement. It was completely and utterly pointless. He walked for God knows how long, and all he found was more dead trees, eerie black lakes, and barren, empty land.

"Is there even a need for places like this?" he yelled to no one in particular.

"If you're so fed up, then why are you still looking for a way out?"

Sora turned to glance at Riku; he'd given the older teen a bit of an attitude earlier, but if being stranded in a lifeless world for days didn't make you cranky, what did? Still, it wasn't Riku's fault that they were here, and he felt he should apologize.

"Look, Riku... I just-"

"Don't be sorry. I know being in love can do strange things to a guy." Riku smirked through the silver wisps of hair falling over his face. Sora was about to deny that statement, but realized that he was no longer in confusion about how he felt for Kairi. He knew he loved her; why should he hide that fact from his best friend?

"I guess the only reason I'm still looking is because... I promised her. I promised her I'd see her again."

"You will. The Gods couldn't keep you two apart." Riku said in a joking manner. "C'mon. There's gotta be some kind of portal thing to get us out."

"If there was, we would've found it by now. Maybe there's a different way..."

"C'mon Sora! Don't go into another one of your _moods_ again!"

"I don't go into moods! I'm just saying... maybe we could... summon something..." Sora's eyebrowed crinkled as he went deep into thought.

"We're Keyblade-wielders, not magicians."

Sora sighed in a frustrated manner and pulled out a scroll from his pocket. The paper looked as if it had been unrolled many times, and there were tears stains dotting it in several places. It was the poem Kairi had written for them.

"Thinking of you, wherever you are... We pray for our sorrows to end..." even though Sora had the poem memorized by heart, he still read it from the paper, just to see Kairi's beautfiul cursive writing...

"... and hope that our hearts will blend." Riku finshed for him. Apparently, they'd _both_ memorized the poem. The two looked at each other and glanced at the parchment... and then, they read the poem together.

"Now I will step forward to realize this wish. And who knows? Starting a new journey may not be so hard... or maybe it's already begun."

Sora fought the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He'd probably read Kairi's poem millions of times, but each time, he'd always feel a gut-wrenching longing for his favorite redhead. Reading her words on this simple piece of paper was like magic, like flying high above everything else and forgetting all the bad things that have happened. Her words were like the promise of paradise, and they always filled him with an unexplained peace...

"There are many worlds, but they share the same sky - one sky. One destiny."

And that's when Sora finally let go. The poem fluttered to the ground, and Sora fell beside it. He was on his hands and knees, tears running down his face like rivers.

**_(I'm melting, I'm melting)  
In your eyes,  
I lost my place  
Could stay a while…  
(And I'm melting)  
In your eyes,  
Like my first time,  
That I caught fire.  
Just stay with me, lay with me now._**

"I didn't think it was possible to love someone so much! I... I can't funcion without her Riku! I need her now! I can't stand the fact that she's waiting for me on that island everyday... just... waiting, and never knowing what happened to us..."

Riku knelt down beside Sora and placed a hand on his shouder.

"Crying won't help Sora. We've just got to use everything we've got. We'll get out of here..." Riku said half-heartedly, his own eyes turning watery. "... please... Sora, don't break down... it's gonna be alright..."

Just as the two boys lost all hope of returning home, a shining beacon of light set its glow upon them. The two boys, faces streaked with tears, gazed in wonder at the spectacle before their eyes. After a couple minutes of silence, Riku smiled and said, "I told you good guys always win."

Sora made no reply. He simply picked up Kairi's poem and started running, his best friend running after him.

-----

The sun had almost disappeared beneath the horizon, leaving a dim glow on the shore that Kairi currently sat at. She thought today would be different. She had a gut feeling that perhaps her greatest love would return today... but who was she kidding? She thought that everyday.

Soon, it was evening, and the sky was beginning to fill up with stars. Kairi gazed up that the twilight sky, and remembered how she and Sora had spent many nights hunting for various constellations. Her eyes welled up with tears as she remembered the first time she saw a shooting star. That was how all this had begun. Perhaps if she'd never pointed out that shooting star to Sora, he never would've been pulled into this adventure... maybe they would've been able to have a future together...

There was no point in going over the 'what-ifs' now. What ever's happened has happened, and there was no way to change that. All she knew now was that she wanted Sora in her arms, or vise versa.

Just then, a horrible thought formed in Kairi's mind. What if he really _did_ fight to the death for her? What if Sora was...

_No! He can't be! He just can't..._

As she thought that, she couldn't help but think 'Why not?' It would be the only logical reason why he hadn't returned yet. Horrified by the thoughts flowing through her mind, Kairi shot up and started walking home.

_I've just done too much Sora-watching today... that's all..._

She tried to convince herself that the sun had cooked her brains, causing her to think up angst-ridden thoughts, but her saddening theory was beginning to set in.

He should've been back by now. It's been two years, for God's sake! It was unlike Sora to be gone for so long without even a single letter, or even a note.

Unwillingly, she came to the horrible conclusion that the love of her life no longer existed.

A tidal wave of agony washed over Kairi's body. Her heart was literally aching, and her head was spinning. The tears fell down her face on their own accord, but she didn't sob. She was in too much shock to sob.

The memories, the laughs, the childish arguments, the kisses, the steamy dreams... they all flowed through Kairi's mind like a never-ending slideshow. Even Riku made several appearances, for even though she loved Sora, she still felt brotherly affection toward her silver-haired friend.

But to come to the conclusion that they were both gone...

It was her breaking point.

She raised her hands to the sky and screamed, "WHY? Why them?"

Then she started sobbing. The sobs racked her body, and she was shuddering uncontrollably. This pain was like nothing she'd ever felt before; so miserable and despairing. She whole-heartily agreed that this was worse than having your heart stolen. She'd rather rip her heart out instead of acknowledging the fact that her best friends would no longer be there for her.

"God Sora! Why'd you have to do this to me?" she continued screaming, trying to find a release for her sadness. "I hate you so much for doing this! I'll never forgive you for leaving me!"

"I HATE YOU SO MUCH..."

She took several deep breaths, her throat tired from screaming.

"I hate you so much... because you didn't give me a chance to say... I love you..."

"Actually, I think I did."

Kairi's ears perked up, and her bawling came to an abrupt halt. That voice... it couldn't be. Her mind was playing tricks on her, deceiving her into a false sense of security. Nevertheless, she slowly stood up and turned around...

... only to fall back down to the ground in shock.

There was a handsome boy... a few inches taller than she, with gravity-defying hair the color of melted chocolate, and eyes that mirrored the ocean behind her. His clothes were soaked, revealing the muscles he'd acquired during his adventure, and his skin glowed like the full moon above him. He held out his hand, beckoning her to him. She was afraid to go to him, afraid that this was all an allusion... just Fate playing with her emotions again.

Then she saw the object resting in his palm.

A keychain, made with Thalassa shells. Her keychain.

Without a second thought, she jumped up and ran into Sora's arms, tackling _him_ for once. The happiness coursing through her body was electric, like she'd just won the lottery... and so much more.

Her reunion with Sora was just as she'd imagined it. His toned arms encased her petite frame protectively, as if he were afraid of losing her again, and she clung to his neck as if dear life depended on it. Sora's warmth put Kairi's body on fire, and the passion surging in their veins grew a tenfold when they gazed into each other's eyes.

"You've changed..." Sora said distantly, staring wondrously at the girl before him. He could hardly believe that this breathtakingly gorgeous woman was his little Kai-Kai.

"So have you..." Kairi's sobbing was part of the distant past... now, she only grinned like a maniac. It was impossible to describe the jubilation that she felt at that moment. Along with that happiness, was a sense of relief.

Both teenagers confessed how much they loved one another, without the need for words. Their minds were at peace, and their hearts were at ease.

"Sora... you don't know how much I missed-"

"Tell me how much you missed me tomorrow. For now, I've got something else on my mind..." he said suggestively. Kairi was elated when she sensed the meaning behind his words, but marveled at how such a suggestive phrase could sound so sweet and innocent on Sora's tongue. She vaguely wondered what else his tongue could do, but she had a good impression of its expertise already...

"Wait, where's Riku?" she said suddenly. Sora smirked.

"He said he'd meet up with us later. He wanted to leave us alone so we could... reconnect."

**_(In your eyes)  
Let's sleep till the sun burns out.  
I'm melting in your eyes.  
(In your eyes)  
Let's sleep till the sun burns out.  
I'm melting in your eyes._**

**_THE END_**


End file.
